Europe Returns Russian Gas Supply

On Wednesday, the European Commission urged countries to reduce the use of gas by 15 per cent in the coming months in the event Russia cuts off supply to Europe, the BBC writes.

Russia supplied Europe with 40 percent of its natural gas last year.

Germany was the continent's largest importer in 2020, but it has reduced its dependence on Russian gas from 55 percent to 35 percent. Eventually, it wants to stop fully using gas from Russia,

Germany was the continent's largest importer in 2020, but has reduced its dependence on Russian gas from 55% to 35%. Eventually, it wants to stop fully using gas from Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to reduce fears, telling reporters that the state-owned gas firm Gazprom will fulfil all its contractual obligations.

The pipeline resumed operation early Thursday morning, but a spokesman said it was providing only 40% of its capacity.

This is the same level that functioned in mid-June, when Gazprom stopped running gas, blaming a delay in returning equipment served by Germany's Siemens Energy.

Gas is flowing again, but with a reduced capacity.

Few in Berlin, or any other European capital, trust Vladimir Putin to supply energy from which, especially, Germany depends so much.

Although Europe sinks into a heat wave, the ministers here are in conscious pain that the country currently does not have enough gas stored to spend it during the winter.

They are urging people to save energy by trying to obtain liquid natural gas supplies from other countries and even to light old coal power plants, despite a promise to gradually remove fossil fuel.

Industry leaders have warned that a lack of gas, which could still lead to rationing, could trigger a recession.

This would satisfy Vladimir Putin, who wants to provoke political and economic chaos in the West.